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Friday, December 10, 2010

What I Really Wear (An Ongoing Series)

hi guys.

Maybe it's the anthropologist in me. More likely it's just the stubborn contrarian. But i'm still going through a spell of having trouble 'toeing the style blogger line'. You know - put together the most beautiful outfit you can manage, go out to some gorgeous or edgy location about 37 minutes prior to local sunset, your photographer spouse/boyfriend whips out his DSLR camera to take the most flattering and arty photos in his power.....you are unruffled, at one with the gorgeous surroundings, no practical concerns ripple your mirror-polished surface.....

Okay, i'm being kinda facetious. And i love getting a gussied up and taking a nice pic in front of a bunch of trees - even up in a tree! But recently i'm compelled to show the everyday stuff, the stuff that doesn't quite work, the outfit that REALLY worked but the photo aspect was not happening. In the end, all any blogger can do is beg the reader's indulgence, and hope to offer some speck of interest to their audience.

I'm in this 'hoodie without a hood' most days. I put it on when i get up on a chilly morning, when the evening is cooling off and i don't want to turn on the heater. I bought it at the Aeropostale outlet in Petaluma for around fifteen bucks because it fits perfectly, the zipper is very sturdy and smooth (when this garment bites the dust i will cannibalize the zipper - they can run from nine up to seventeen dollars new, when you can find them), and it's 100% soft cotton. The color is unobjectionable.

However i was mildly grossed out by the front.

I'm not an aqua-fan (except for nail polish and lipstick). And ever since the fad for wearing logos on clothes hit, hard, when i was about 14 or so, i've felt like an idiot wearing any visible logo. "I'm such a smarty-pants that i paid them to do their advertising for them!" Oy. But i figured i'd just wear it around the house, anyways. So.

I made these earrings recently and like them a lot. I bought the quartz hearts from a Ren Faire vendor, and cannibalized the blue briolettes, pearls, and chain from other jewelry.

Now i'm going to 'conform' to traditional blogger guidelines and ask a question to spark discussion. How do you all feel about wearing logos? Does it get up your nose as much as it does mine?

& to conclude, a question because i'm desperate for information. Do any of you know any place that sells a nice variety of decent chain suitable for jewelry making? As far as i can tell it's a desert out there and i'm itching to make some new, chain-based pieces. So far it looks like my best best is to get cheap jewelry and cannibalize it.......any sources you all know about?

13 comments:

Well for going against the blogger formula, you should made a good post. I laughed a bit reading about the windy cliff, DSLR and boyfriend photographer, because while I am a HUUUUGe fan of the art of photography, when I can't actually SEE the outfit, I'm often left wondering why we are calling it an outfit post.

For the record: I too HATE logos, for just the reason you mentioned. If any company wants to PAY me to advertise, I would wear said logo willingly, but the shill out $60 bucks TO advertise for them, a resounding NO CAN DO.

And I dig your solution: an anti-corporate d.i.y. using re-purposed fabrics and do-dads. Take that, "the man." Turned out great.

I only wish you would have moved away from the closet door over to the bay windows that reflect a windy cliff, and taken a few shots with your DSLR. xo.

I don't wear logos except if I love the look of the logo itself AND the thing it's advertising. So, I have some cool arty t-shirts that advertise Black Phoenix Alchemy Lab perfume oils, or the webcomic Questionable Content, or favorite bands like Wilco and Devotchka. In the past I've worn logos for favorite places like the Red Herring vegetarian restaurant in Champaign-Urbana, and for the food co-op that I was a manager of.

What I don't like is the idea that clothing company logos convey status. I think the handbags with the ugly all-over logo prints that people apparently covet enough to make it worth counterfeiting them, are the ugliest things in the world. Why would you carry that, when you could carry something that was actually beautiful? I would never wear a logo t-shirt that advertised a fashion brand, either. Something stitched on the pocket of my jeans better be small and unobtrusive or it's coming off.

In the past I've ordered chain from Fire Mountain Gems. They've got just about everything that you could want for jewelry making.

I don't know if I've ever thought about wearing logos. I know I'm not really brand or logo aware. I'll wear so no name from Walmart or Target and be just as happy as if were something from Ralph Lauren or Ann Taylor. EXCEPT for purses. I am a little bit of a purse snob. I'm a HUGE Coach fan. And I have a Michael Kors purse that I'm in love with. I am thankful that my kids don't feel like they have to have brand name jeans or whatever. They are just as happy in the Target brand. My daughter recently wanted a pair of the Clark Wallabees. Those suckers are $100 and that's too much for a 12 year old with growing feet, and she knew it. She and I spent ALOT of time scouring online sites and stores at various malls until we finally found some knock offs for $30. She's just as happy with those!

I loathe wearing logos - why should I wear advertising for free? The only exception - and it's kind of unavoidable - is my workout wear. It nearly always has logos plastered on it somewhere. I do try to buy the most unobtrusive I can find, but I've been known to sit with a pair of scissors and seam-ripper and remove a stitched-on logo.

I love the earrings! They look fabulous.

Although I haven't ever made any of my own jewelry, the bead stores in my town have a huge selection of chains.

You've hit on one of my pet peeves. I refuse to wear logos unless they are *really* tiny and unobtrusive. I take it a step further and don't wear clothes with writing on them at all. I like the way you covered up the huge logo.

My granddaughter attends a school where logos aren't allowed. Her mom sometimes manages to pick the threads out. I teach at a high school and wish we didn't allow them either. It makes it so obvious who are the haves and have-nots.

Sheila hit on it--you can't get away not wearing it on gym wear, and you have quite a solution! I don't hate it that much--and I sew but I could probably live with it.I like asking the expected question~it wakes people up sometimes...just like in a classroom when the teacher sees you falling asleep...Paula?

Can't help you with the chain sources. Are you an anthropologist by training? I have a colleague who I'm going to teach a course with this coming semester...and I've been trying to pick her brain about the anthropology of dress. She hasn't had many sources to suggest.

I like what you've done with the "applique" here, but I REALLY like the outer sweater. If you could see what I'm wearing as I type this comment you would laugh out loud. Moccasins, with socks, grandma jeans in black, a plain teal tee, and my acrylic grandpa sweater in grey. You would never know I was a style blogger!

I love the idea about covering up the logo, and that is so true most beautiful outfit at sunset seem of these bloggers seem like they do a full blown fashion shoot. That never happens for me either. Most of my outfits are just whatever I wear around the house. love the gray sweater so much.

hee hee...i guess the 'typical blogging wisdom' gets a better party started when you turn it upside down! i was busily 'sewing on deadline' yesterday, & i loved checking in here every couple of hours to find new, interesting and funny comments!

ciao Bella - once more with feeling ; ) thank you! as far as my 'bay window with dramatic cliff view, and DSLR' - from your mouth to god's ear, as they say!

Hi Cynthia! now that you mention it, i don't tend to think of smaller business' tees as being similar to the big corpo-logos. and the log-status thing is just gross. what you said!(p.s. thank you about fire mtn.!!! i've actually ordered from them once myself, but completely forgot about it - tytytytyt!)

hi Joy! well, there are a few high-end brands that DO make quality, well-thot out pieces - that part of 'branding' i appreciate, when it helps whittle down choices or take out some of the risk of buying an item.your daughter sounds incredibly sensible and smart! wonder where she gets it from...:)

hee hee Huzzah! my mom's the same way, she's amazed that i sprang from her sweat-pant clad loins ; )

Hello Dawn! that is really interesting about the school forbidding logos, i 'd never heard of that before. it sounds like a good idea to me - the fewer distractions for kids, and ways for them to pester each other, the better. it's also telling how many people in this post talk about picking out logos - it's a tedious, frustrating task!

Hello Paula! you crack me up....and your outfit from Friday is just fabulous - you can wear those hot, saturated colors like no one's business!

Hi Terri! i'm not ANYTHING by training (tho i have taken a # of under and grad level anthro courses). my health has been a major obstacle since i was 15, so i barely graduated high school and no degrees after that. i have a couple of Jo Campbell books that mite have some refs on the anthro of dress, i'll check it out and let you know if i find anything. it seems to me that looking back in time, and to the hunter/gatherer peoples, the earliest dress was about conveying status (gender, marriage/ability status, taboo status, etc.) esp. considering that homo popped up in such mild areas, climate-wise, the earliest decorations had to do with conveying social info. i m un-degreed o.

Hello Gill! thank you. and it's true, some of the ways they stick logos onto things are just devilish.....

Hello Yolanda! i love seeing your outfit pictures! it adds so much to your blog, and you have such a great smile! you also seem very open to constructive criticism, which is rare and brave and refreshing! yeah, i was very excited when i spotted that sweater last year in TJ MAXX!!

and TO BE CLEAR: i love all those artistic, beautiful photographs with lovely settings and outlandishly beautiful clothes!! i don't mean to put them down at all. they can be inspirational and just plain beautiful in their own right. plus, now i have a much better idea of how much effort goes into them ; ) but i like the idea of expanding the conversation about clothes - looks like i'm not alone!

Have a great weekend everybody and a special thank you to all who de-lurked!

NOT Your Typical Style Blog

i'm not young, thin, tall, documented by artistic professional photog lover/husband, owner of hundreds of articles of clothing/shoes/accessories, much of a shopper, interested in traditional or popular ideas of flattery or what's 'in style'.

i do design and make most of my own clothes. i am interested in clothes that tell a story, echo different times and places, create subtle mixes of color, pattern and texture, and outfits that make distinctive silhouettes (which may or may not have anything to do with the human body).

i am interested in finding out what is enough. The '30 in 30 Challenge' isn't a challenge for me, it's pretty much my approach to dressing. i am interested in how ideas, people, places, animals and things that have nothing to do with fashion influence our style. i'm interested in how we express our style in ways that have nothing to do with clothes.

i do my best to post monday -friday, anything on the weekend is gravy.

About Me

hi. i have two blogs now - The Dashing Eccentric is a daily outfit/style type blog. Wanderin' Britches is a place to post nature/travel photos for those who aren't necessarily fascinated with my clothes (Dad, etc.)
i finally figured out this 'About Me' shows the same on both blogs.....